


Broken

by blueskypenguin



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-12
Updated: 2010-03-12
Packaged: 2017-12-12 18:58:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/814906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueskypenguin/pseuds/blueskypenguin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Sam wasn't sure why they were doing this in vessels when they could both so easily take the fight elsewhere, fight free with wings clashing and Grace unconfined. Perhaps it would even look beautiful.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Broken

**Author's Note:**

> In answer to [](http://kijikun.livejournal.com/profile)[**kijikun**](http://kijikun.livejournal.com/)'s prompt "Supernatural, Sam/Gabriel, Gabriel breaks down after killing Raphael," at [](http://comment-fic.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://comment-fic.livejournal.com/)**comment_fic**.

Sam wasn't sure why they were doing this in vessels when they could both so easily take the fight elsewhere, fight free with wings clashing and Grace unconfined.

Perhaps it would even look beautiful.

Gabriel had pulled the sword from nowhere just in time to block Raphael's blow, a thrust that would have surely killed him. Sam itched to help, Gabriel was holding him in his place in this warehouse-come-battlefield, and anyway, he knew better than to interfere in a fight between brothers. If he didn't die in the attempt, Gabriel would never forgive him.

They weren't speaking anymore, having said all that needed to be before Raphael turned violent. Gabriel had made a case for humanity that had rendered Sam speechless, it was so fervent and honest, but his brother was unconvinced. It got a little ugly after that.

_"Michael is broken," Gabriel had spat, "Has been since the last war."_

_Raphael stiffened, "Michael is the only leader we have." Though his wings weren't visible themselves, the sparks from the current they generated were, and they crackled blue in the dark, dank space._

_"You think he wants this? That it's_ paradise _he's trying to bring? He just wants two pretty vessels for him and Lucifer to be reunited in!" Gabriel shook his head. "This isn't what Father would have wanted."_

_"Our Father is dead," Raphael ground out, unbeknownst to Gabriel and Sam echoing his declaration to Castiel and Dean, over a year ago, now. Sam saw his hand twitch, curl around something that wasn't there. He wanted to call out to Gabriel, but couldn't speak, couldn't move._

_Gabriel had shaken his head, "I don't believe that," he had said, and Sam was frozen with shock even as Raphael pulled that sword, a frickin' sword, from nothingness and struck out at Gabriel in one swift and graceful motion. Warriors of God, indeed, Sam would think later; the dull crack of metal against metal with a crackle of something more, something else behind it would have made Sam jump if he could move, but even as Gabriel and Raphael crossed blades, Sam was rooted to the spot as much by awe as by his lover's formless hold._

As Sam realised Raphael intended to kill Gabriel, he almost relaxed; Raphael was going to lose. It was showing in the line of Gabriel's shoulders, the ease with which he wielded his sword. Raphael didn't stand a chance - he wasn't just up against his archangel brother, he was up against a pagan god, and Gabriel had always fought dirty.

He was throwing punches, feinting and toying with Raphael, playing Trickster with every strike and Raphael wasn't able to gain any ground.

"Don't make me do this, Raphael," Sam heard Gabriel say as clear as a bell, although the swords were still clashing, there seemed to be an impossible wind picking up in the confines of the warehouse and his heart was pounding _so loud_. "Please."

Raphael, who had remained expressionless for the most part, showing only anger and sadness, sneered. "You wouldn't." When the sword slid through his vessel's heart, illuminating him from within and burning him away, he seemed surprised. Sam shut his eyes, remembering Anna regaining her grace and wondering where all that energy would end up, but after a brief flash, he felt the bind on his body release, and he blinked.

Gabriel had pulled away his sword and thrown it aside, and he was kneeling over Raphael's vessel, framed by the ashy shadow of vast wings on the warehouse ground.

Sam tentatively stepped forward, again and again until he was at Gabriel's side, and he crouched to be at the same level, resting a hand on his lover's shoulder.

"We...," Gabriel's voice was rough, broken as he leaned into Sam's space. "We should get back to Dean and Castiel."

"They can wait," Sam rebuffed softly, pulling Gabriel to him but with a whoosh of air he found himself on the bed in their motel room. "We could have stayed," he whispered, sliding a hand up into Gabriel's hair, and by now he was cradling the archangel.

Gabriel pulled away. He looked wrecked, fingers twitching in a repetitive motion; Sam realised he was trying not to click and terror swept through him. Gabriel was trying not to leave, to run.

"Stay," Sam whispered. "Please. Don't go."

"Where would I go," he replied as he paced the room, looking everywhere but at Sam. Sam knew Gabriel meant to be flippant, but he just sounded curious. "Where could I go, now? Where can I go?"

"Gabriel?"

"I can't," he gasped a sob, "I can't go back. Even if He comes back, I can't." He turned on Sam, eyes wild, unnecessary breath shallow. "Sam, I have no place there anymore."

Sam shot out of the bed and pulled Gabriel into his arms. Thankfully, he went willingly - Sam had no chance against a broken, resistant archangel. He wanted to say something, anything to make this better. "You did what you had to do."

"I didn't _have_ to kill my brother, Sam," he pulled away again, wrenching himself from Sam's hold. "I did it for you, you and your ungrateful species. You fucking humans with your war and disease and hatred. And now?" He swallowed, "If my Father ever came back, I figured I'd be pushing it as it was - it wasn't the most wholesome of existences, Sam. I killed, tortured, maimed, fucked and fucked over for millennia," he spat the words as he stepped further and futher away. "I enjoyed it, nearly every fucking minute. Until you."

Sam winced.

"You and your brother," Gabriel pointed at him viciously. "I tried to help, you even got Dean back after four months - you lasted _six_ with me - and you _still_ managed to screw us all over. And do you know the worst part?" He didn't wait for an answer, "You're still fucking fighting. You're trying to make it better, trying to _fix_ it, you and Dean. You're so full of fucking good intentions and repentance and I love you for it, you know I do."

He flinched as Sam reached out, but let him come all the same. Gabriel sagged into his arms.

"But it's pointless now. Castiel isn't going to find our Father, and we can't fix this. It's broken, it's all fucking broken," he said quietly, "And if by some miracle he did..."

"You'll always have a place in heaven, it's home. And God will forgive you," Sam's surety wasn't contagious.

Gabriel didn't move as he replied scathingly, but with a little amazement, "You and your fucking prayer."

"No," he admitted, "I don't do much praying to God anymore," he released Gabriel as he pulled away to look Sam in the eyes curiously. "Maybe we'll fix this, maybe we won't, maybe we'll just die trying. But it's the right thing to do, and that has to count for something."

"He was my brother," Gabriel breathed.

"I know," Sam pressed his lips to his softly. "I'm sorry."


End file.
